DECEMBER 21, 2018
- Atticus Jonathan Unverzagt was born to Leif and Dori.
JANUARY
- Berit turned 16 and started driving.
- Another international student moved into our home, Bob from China.
- Emma turned 20. She was still at Bodenseehof Bible School in Freidrichshafen, Germany.
- Lots of basketball went down. Zofeyah, Berit, and Anders played. Jonathan reffed.
FEBRUARY
- Basketball. Snowstorm. Basketball. Snowstorm. Basketball. Snowstorm. Hope bought snowshoes.
MARCH
- Our family (along with the Monroe County Warriors varsity teams) went to Springfield, MO, for the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships.
- Jonathan traveled to Germany to speak at the Bible school Emma was attending.
- Berit got herself a little rescue dog, Simo.
- Sigre turned 22.
APRIL
- Hope became a beekeeper. She had one hive and harvested 10 lbs of honey.
- Anders was confirmed.
- Emma returned from Germany and got a job as manager and barista at Franklin Coffee House in Sparta (where Zofeyah works).
- Gretchen turned 28. She is a stay-at-home mom who works per diem as an OB nurse. Ryan works for the post office.
MAY
- Jonathan traveled to Uganda to train pastors for two weeks.
- Hope got brave and donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love.
- Anders played AAU basketball and traveled to lots of tournaments.
JUNE
- Jalen, our international student from Japan, moved out.
- We hosted Martin, an international student from France, for three weeks.
- Anara Swan Unverzagt was born to Britton and Cassie on June 12.
- Jonathan traveled to Pennsylvania for our church denomination’s annual Conference.
- Finn got stitches for a cut on his leg.
- We took our annual family vacation to a cabin in northern MN.
JULY
- Jonathan, Britton, Zofeyah, Berit, and Anders (along with a large group of people from our church) traveled to the Free Lutheran Youth convention in Estes Park, CO.
- We hosted Colombe, another international student from France, for three weeks.
- Zofeyah got her certification to lifeguard.
- Jonathan, Zofeyah, Berit, and Anders went on Faith on Fire drama team tour for a week.
- Jonathan spoke at a family Bible camp. Hope, Zofeyah, Anders, Finn, and Bronwyn went with.
AUGUST
- We hosted a Dyrud family reunion at our house. Over 100 people attended.
- Marielle Avonlea Haagenson was born to Analaya and Tim on August 12th.
- We did a little remodel, dividing a big bedroom into two smaller ones.
- Gretchen and Ryan announced the upcoming arrival of Sawatsky baby number 4 in March 2020 (grandbaby #8 for us).
SEPTEMBER
- Our international student, Bob, returned from China to spend his senior year with us.
- The Millpond Academy Homeschool began its 24th year. Zofeyah is in 12th grade, Berit in 11th, Anders in 9th, Finn in 6th, and Bronwyn in 5th.
- Hope continues to tutor international students in English as a Second Language.
- Homeschool co-op started back up again at our house; there are 20 students this year.
- Leif turned 25. He works for ISG Architectural Group. They bought their first house this year. Dori stays home, writing when she can and creating DIY projects to sell.
- Sigre moved home during a break between jobs.
- Finn turned 12.
- Analaya, Gretchen, and Hope attended the Wild and Free homeschool conference in Franklin, Tennessee.
OCTOBER
- Zofeyah ran in (and completed) the Twin Cities Marathon.
- Anders turned 15.
- Zofeyah turned 18. The next day she jumped out of an airplane.
- Analaya turned 30. She is a stay-at-home mom and helps with the caretaking of their apartment building. Tim is a teacher.
NOVEMBER
- Zofeyah got certified as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant).
- Britton turned 27. He is in the educational program at Winona State, and Cassie works at Logistics Health Incorporated.
- Leif and Dori got licensed for foster care and took in their first baby.
- Jonathan and Hope attended the ECHO conference in Fort Myers, FL, in preparation for Jonathan’s new parttime position as director for the Hope Centers for the Children of Africa. He continues to pastor Christ Is Lord church, coach and ref basketball, and be a chaplain for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the Sparta Police Department.
DECEMBER
- Bronwyn will turn 11.
- Zofeyah will begin her new job as a CNA in OB at Tomah Health Center.
- We will attend Triple Espresso in Minneapolis for our annual Christmas Trip at the end of the month.
- We look forward to spending time together celebrating the birth of our Savior.
We appreciate each one of you so much. Not only because of the fact you actually took time to look up a link you found in small print at the bottom of a Christmas card, but mainly because God has placed you in our lives. We are so very blessed. May your 2020 be filled with peace, hope, and joy in abundance.
